Congratulations
by tess.untitled
Summary: “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions!” William Shakespeare.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own "Lie To Me" or its characters! T_T

--

"**How do geese know when to fly to the sun? Who tells them the seasons? How do we, humans know when it is time to move on? As with the migrant birds, so surely with us, there is a voice within if only we would listen to it, that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown."**

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

--

Emily Lightman had never asked her father to use his abilities on anyone so when she begged him to, he said he would do it.

"_**Dad, please! You can't let Mom marry a loser!"**_

That had been enough to make his protectiveness towards both his daughter and his ex-wife to wake up.

--

"**Are you sure of what you are doing?"**

It was a simple question and asked for an even more simple answer.

"**Yes, I am sure of what I am doing."**

If that answer had came without a facial expression he would have probably ignored it but there was a look that didn't last for more than ¼ of a second but that had been there long enough for him to consider it an anomaly.

"**If I were you, I wouldn't be so **_**sure**_**." **

There it was. Just the reaction he had been waiting for. The almost invisible content smile covered by fake confusion and surprise.

"**Is my wife here or not?"**

People can be so _bloody_ predictable. A psychological and emotional attack used as defense.

"**I thought yo****u were only getting married tomorrow…"**

He raised an eyebrow cynically, hiding the grin that kept fighting to take over since the moment his _opponent_'s face had became blushed and his breathing rhythm had changed.

"**That's right."**

He didn't need to look up to know who was standing at his office's door.

"**What is my **_**beloved**_** ex-husband doing with my husband-to-be?"** Zoe asked, leaning against the doorframe and crossing her arms.

"**We were just talking about the wedding… Roger**** was telling me how excited he is about the whole ceremony tomorrow."** Cal answered, finally looking up at her as he leaned back on his chair.

Roger simply nodded before walking towards his _wife_ and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"**Are you ready to go? We have a reservation for 8:00 pm and it's already 7:30…"**

"**I loved this bonding time... we should definitely do this more often, mate."** Cal commented sarcastically, causing Zoe to roll her eyes at him.

"**We shall hopefully see you tomorrow."** She stood straight again and allowed her body to rest carefully against Roger's.

She really trusted that man but there was something wrong about him. What was he going to do?

"**If not sooner."** He replied with a cordial nod.

He was left alone with his thoughts – but not for long.

There was a knock on the door and there she was leaning against the doorway just like his ex-wife had been about 30 minutes earlier.

"**You wanted to talk to me?"** She asked, walking further into his office.

"**I always do, luv."** He replied humorously. **"I was wondering… do you have plans for tomorrow?"**

"**Besides work, I don't think I have anything else planned."** She said as she sat down. "**Why do you ask though?"** She raised an eyebrow, crossing one leg over the other one.

"**You have the day off tomorrow…"** He stood up right after turning off his computer. **"And you are coming to **_**the**_** wedding with me."**

Gillian watched him moving across the room to grab his jacket.

"**Tell me you are not talking about Zoe's wedding."**

He put it on before turning around to face her.

"**I will pick you up at 11 am."** He was now standing by her side.

"**Don't wear black."** He leaned over a bit and kissed her forehead before abandoning the office, leaving her alone there.

Gillian was really disappointed with the situation as he hadn't really given her a chance to answer the invitation properly, meaning that he was sure she wouldn't say no to him.

She actually found the whole thing rather depressing as it made her wonder about what other people thought of her.

Was she the long black coat that is always at the back of the closet ready to be worn when needed?

--

"**Are you sure of what you are doing?"**

It was a simple question and asked for an even more simple answer.

"**I have no idea of what you are talking about."** She replied, opening the door wider so that he could get inside.

Noticing the look of concern on his face as he walked by her, she sighed.

"**Why do I think I shouldn't have opened the door?"** She asked, closing it and following his lead towards _her_ living room.

"**Are you sure this is what you want to do with your life?"**

Yet again a simple question that kept asking for an even more simple answer: yes or no.

"**Cal… why are you doing this?"**

"**I just want to make sure you are fully aware of the step you are taking."** He answered calmly, keeping his eyes on hers.

"**Oh, hell Cal. Just cut the crap, will you? What have you seen?"** Zoe's voice tone grew louder, meaning she was getting irritated.

"**I asked him a simple question and he deflected… just like you did when I asked you the exact same one 30 seconds ago."** He said matter-of-factly.

The silence that took over the room was everything but comfortable.

"**Cal, I am going to ask you to leave… **_**us**_** alone… for the **_**last**_** time."** She broke eye contact, meaning she was too exhausted to discuss the situation.

"**Luv, I am just worr…"**

"**Cal, I am getting married again tomorrow. I moved on and I think you should do the same."** She added, interrupting him.

"**Something is wrong, Zo."** He walked towards her, resting one hand over her shoulder.

"**I don't want to hear it. I forbid you ****to use your little **_**tricks**_** with him. I can't afford to lose more people I **_**love**_** because them."** Her eyes were now on the floor. **"Just be there tomorrow… it will mean a lot to me… and to Emily too… but please, do not interfere."**

"**I am sure**** of it. I can't ignore what I see…" **He complained, absently letting his hand trace circles over the soft skin of her shoulder.

"**Yes you can, Cal."** She took a step back and away from him. **"And besides, you aren't always right about everything."**

It was not that he wasn't expecting that sort of answer from her but the truth was that her words made him think of the day he had left the house late at night to buy a ring and ask her to marry him. He had thought he had seen the right thing… he had thought he had seen her sitting by his side fifty years later, commenting on their grandchildren's photos. But he had been wrong.

"**Oh, I do know that, **_**luv**_**."**

He planted a kiss upon her forehead and sighed softly.

"**See you tomorrow."**

He said in half a whisper before making his way down the hall and leaving.

Even though they had gotten divorced a few years back, only now he felt like they had parted for real and for life.

Stealing one last glance of the house, he put his hands on his jacket's pockets and started walking away.

If he was going to keep his mouth shut? Of course.

As it was time for renewal; as it was time to move on.

--

Now that was quick, huh?

Did you miss me? LOL.

Anyway, this is the **introduction** to my second story.

I hope you like it.

It's going to be a little different.

Anyway, must run now before I start having second thoughts about not writing a second chapter tonight!

Thank you for reading!

R&R if you feel like it!

Love,

Reesa.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for your kind reviews.**

**:)**

**I still down own "Lie To Me" or any of its characters. :(**

**--**

"**One of the hardest things in life is watching the person you love, love someone else."**

Author Unknown

--

Alone and still sitting in the chair across from Cal's desk, Gillian was studying the mental image she had of her closet, looking for something she would possibly be able to wear for the wedding... something not _black_.

It didn't take her long to realize she was going to have to buy a new dress if she was really decided to let go of the dark colors.

Hearing Cal's voice playing in her mind, she reached out for her phone and started searching her contacts' list for the number of the only person she knew would be able to give her a hand with such a thing.

"**Hello? Clara****? Are you at the store? I need **_**help**_**."**

--

Cal looked at his reflection in the mirror.

He was wearing a black suit, a white shirt and a tie.

He didn't really like ties but that blue one was special for many reasons. First, it had been given to him by Gillian a few years earlier; second, she had left her perfume on it as in the day he wore it, she ended up putting it on her purse when he complained about the fact that it was too tight and that the ceremony was over; and third… he was sure it matched her beautiful blue eyes.

"_**Love, need to run by **__**the office before the wedding. Will you pick up Emily on your way? Thanks."**_

He wrote the message on his cell phone before texting it to her, overlooking his own micro-expressions as he missed the smile that appeared on his face once memories from the day he had gotten the tie crossed his mind; memories from the day he had spent with her away from everything; memories from the 24 non-working hours they had spent together doing little nothings that had never been forgotten.

He grabbed his keys before leaving the house and getting on his car, driving towards the place where the wedding was going to happen as he was having second thoughts about the whole shutting up idea.

--

Gillian had just put her dress on when she heard her phone ringing from inside the purse she was taking to the ceremony.

She ran towards it, not recognizing the special tune she had chosen to use every time she received a text message.

Rolling her eyes at herself, she sat down over her bed and read it after checking the ID from the sender.

"**I wonder when you will learn how to trust me…"** She whispered, unconsciously letting the phone fall from her grasp and to the floor.

"**Crap."** She mumbled once she realized what she had just done.

"**Very well ****done, Gillian."** She muttered under her breath before picking it up from the floor.

After getting it back inside her purse, not really carrying whether it was working or not, she checked her hair and make-up before putting her high heels on.

--

"**Zo?"** He asked, walking into the room without knocking as he had been able to recognize her figure from outside.

The woman turned around as soon as she heard her name, her muscles relaxing once her eyes met Cal's.

"**You okay, luv?"**

Without even giving him time to see it coming, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head upon his shoulder.

"**Zoe, what's wrong? What happened?"** He whispered, pulling her closer, careful not to ruin her dress or even her hair style.

"**Nothing…"** She replied, closing her eyes as she took in his familiar scent.

"**Are you having doubts about all of this?"**He asked after awhile, giving them both time to enjoy the embrace that used to be part of their typical routine in the meantime.

She sighed deeply once his question reached her ears, pulling away from his body as soon as she felt strong enough to.

"**No, I am not thinking about leaving Roger planted at the altar**** and run away with you, if that's what you are wondering."**

"**Oh, just asking. It would be like in the movies but a lot cheaper…" **He faked a serious facial expression.

"**Hum… actually way more expensive… if you ****consider the gift and the clothes and the trip…" **He added.

Zoe rolled her eyes and wiped a tear before hitting him playfully on the arm.

"**Shut up."**

"**Are you sure you want me to do that?" **

She noticed his subtle subject change but she didn't allow him to get away with it.

"**Cal, we all have secrets." **She started, sitting down in one of the free chairs.** "And they are called **_**secrets**_** for a reason." **She emphasized, reaching out and pulling her shoes closer to where she was, slowly starting to put them on.

"**I want you to let go." **She looked up at him before standing up again, officially ready to start the ceremony.** "Can you do that? For me?"**

"**Of course, love, of course."**

--

Emily was putting her earrings on when she heard a loud knock at the door.

"**Finally Dad, I thought you had died!"** She complained as she opened it without thinking twice or even looking outside first. **"Wow…"**

If there was something she really liked about Gillian – besides her being funny, playful and patient – was her fantastic fashion sense. She seemed to know what to wear, when to wear it and what to wear it with.

She thought she had seen everything though but it seemed that she was completely wrong as the Gillian that was now standing in front of her looked like a completely different woman.

Powerful, sexy and absolutely gorgeous.

She was wearing a ¾ length dress, hundred percent silk with a wide neckline. It embraced her body in all the right places… it seemed like it had been made especially for her.

The color was difficult to explain… something between purple and blue but it surely made her eyes look bigger and brighter.

"**What is it, Emily? Are you okay?"** Gillian raised an eyebrow in concern.

"**I am fine… ****sorry. Was just looking at your dress…"** She said once she recovered from the initial shock.

"**Oh…"** Gillian blushed slightly. **"I hope it is not too much… I was told not to wear black so I felt like trying so****mething new. What do you think?"**

"**I think you look beautiful, Gillian."** Emily answered with a smile before putting her second earring on.

"**Thank you, Emily. I think..." **She was going to comment on Emily's style when her phone started ringing again.

Another text message from Cal.** "Oh, I think we are going to be late." **She stated before looking up at the young girl. **"Did your father approve that dress?" **She added that question with a teasing smile and a wink before turning towards the car's direction.

"**Where is Dad, ****anyway? He told me he would pick me up."** Emily got into the passenger's seat and buckled her seat belt.

"**He had to walk by the office first."**

"**Oh, he's with Mom. I see."**

--

"**Where have you been?"** Cal asked as soon as he saw his daughter walking into the room where most of the guests and the husband-to-be were already waiting.

"**Exactly where you left me."** She said matter-of-factly.

"**I am so sorry Cal… I had a problem with my phone…"** Gillian's hand met his arm and rested there, waiting for him to acknowledge that it had been her fault and not his daughter's.

He turned to the side from where her voice was coming ready to make a snarky comment but then his eyes met her and his train of thought was interrupted.

Suddenly the world stopped spinning; words stopped making sense; his lungs stopped asking for air; his heart stopped asking for blood… her…

What was happening to him?

The music started playing meaning the bride was going to walk in.

He was brought back from his own little world by his daughter that was pulling him by the arm.

"**She knows you weren't at the office."** She said naturally, sitting down in one of the chairs on the front row.

His daughter's words echoed in his head as his eyes followed Gillian's movements.

"**She told me she was going to sit at the back and that if you needed her, you would know where to find her."** Emily concluded before standing up as Zoe started making her way up.

--

"**One way to open your eyes is to ask yourself, 'What if I had never seen this before? What if I knew I would never see it again?'"**

Rachel Carson.

--

I know this chapter is kind of sucky but right now I can't really do any better so well…

I hope you enjoy it anyway. :)

R&R if you feel like it.

Hugs,

Reesa.

P.S. In case you are wondering about the dress I had in mind, ask me for the link with the picture! :P


	3. Chapter 3

**I am sorry it took me so long to update this story but I have been working on school projects and on my poetry book that is coming out by the end of the year.**

**Thank you so much for the kind reviews you have been leaving behind. They mean a lot to me. :)**

**Anyway, I shall let you read now.**

**Btw, I don't own "Lie To Me" or any of its characters.**

--

Gillian sat alone at the back, watching people interacting while the ceremony developed itself in front of their eyes.

It was the first wedding she was attending since she had filled in the divorce papers and she was feeling slightly disgusted with the whole situation.

Was it simply because it was a wedding or because it was _Zoe's_ wedding?

She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed deeply, she wasn't ready… she wasn't ready to be there alone as it made her focus her attention on what was going on at the altar…

The couple made happiness seem so reachable and yet when she tried to reach out and touch it, it seemed to run away from her.

"**She looks beautiful, doesn't she?"**

Gillian recomposed herself once the unfamiliar voice reached her ears.

She ran a hand through her hair before turning slightly to the side, finding a gorgeous pair of grey eyes staring at her.

She nodded slightly once the information sank in and focused her attention back on the couple even though she could still feel the stranger's eyes on her.

"**She does…"**

The reply came out as a nostalgic confession.

--

All the guests were being lead to their tables as husband and wife stood outside to satisfy the photographers' wishes.

"**And we meet again…"**

Gillian heard someone say behind her as she stood by Cal's side. He seemed to be too busy and too concentrated on his thoughts to notice her standing there though.

"**We haven't been formally introduced yet…"**

She turned around and yet again found the vivid pair of eyes that had been studying her during the ceremony.

"**I'm Gillian Foster."** She offered him a cordial smile and a hand for him to shake.

"**The ex-husband's **_**date**_**."**

"**Oh, it's surely a pleasure to meet you, Gillian. I've heard a lot about you…" **He grabbed her hand and took it to his lips, kissing it.

"**Not ****all bad things, I hope."** She said, curious about what he had heard and from whom he had heard it.

"**Never." **He smiled as he let go of her hand.

"**I am Anthony… the ex-husband's ex-brother-in-law."**He added humorously before pulling her chair so that she could sit down.

"**So you are Zoe's brother… I didn't know she had one."** She confessed before sitting down.

"**Thank you."**

"**You are very welcome." **He replied as he sat by her side and faked a deep sigh.

"**Now that's normal… I am the family's black sheep, you know. Never got married, don't have any kids or an extremely important job…"**

Gillian had to fight hard not to just laugh at the way he said it. He was definitely very comical but she didn't know him well enough to decide whether it was okay to laugh or not.

"**Go ahead, laugh…****"**

He smiled cheerfully at her, poking her side playfully before she let out a healthy laugh.

That amazing sound brought Cal back to reality and caused him to turn to his side so that he could observe what was happening.

He had missed her truthful laugh… he had missed a lot from her lately…what had happened? She had been there as usual… but had he?

"**Look at who****m we woke up!"** Anthony said as he noticed Cal looking at them.

Gillian raised an eyebrow questioningly before following Anthony's eyes. She smiled once her own met Cal's.

"**I am sorry if I scared you…**_**we**_** didn't mean to bother you." **Her voice was soft as the words left her mouth almost instantly.

"_**You**_** never do, luv."** He replied sincerely.

"**Anthony."** He said with a nod, officially acknowledging his presence.

"**Cal."** The other man replied, returning the nod before standing up.

"**If you will excuse me… I need to go and say hi to the bride."** He looked over at Cal before focusing his attention back on Gillian and smiling at her.

"**Until we meet again."**

Gillian smiled back at him and followed him with her eyes as he walked to Zoe, who was now moving into the room.

She raised an eyebrow once she saw Zoe's reaction to him. She just grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards the door next to the one that lead to the place where the food was being prepared.

"**You never told me Zoe had a brother…"** She finally said as she turned back to Cal.

"**Oh, you know, they were never that close."** He answered absently, shrugging softly while his mind kept wondering about where he had been lately and not realizing that he was yet again pulling away from all the people that surrounded him and especially away from her.

--

The meal was quiet between them even though the atmosphere that filled the room where they were was loud and energized.

"**If you will excuse me, I need to go to the ladies' room."**

Gillian heard the woman sitting by her side say to the man that same woman had been talking to since all the guests had found their correct places.

"_Now that was a lie…"_ She thought to herself before rolling her eyes at her own thoughts. Analyzing the guests was a sign of boredom and discomfort.

"**I am going to the ladies' room."** She said out loud to Cal as she decided she needed to freshen up so that she could focus on playing her _happy_ role again.

She stood up and started making her way towards the bathroom without even waiting for Cal's reaction or waiting to even see if he reacted… she didn't care at the moment and he noticed that.

It was his turn to follow her movement with his eyes… he had noticed her face expression and he had read it… he shouldn't have brought her… not because he didn't want here there because he surely did… he shouldn't have brought her because she wasn't ready… How had he missed that? How hadn't he seen that earlier?

What was wrong with him?

Just then he realized that he had been away for a long time… he had been locked inside himself for too long… probably since the day Emily had asked him to talk with Roger… probably since the day he had realized his wife was moving on… his _ex_-wife was moving on and he wasn't… he was stuck.

That had been why he had missed so many things that had happened around him… that was why he had been surprised by how beautiful _she_ looked when she walked into the church… that was why he had been surprised to hear _her_ laugh… that was why, right on that exact moment, he had felt like pulling her close and holding her for the rest of the day, for the rest of his life, for the rest of eternity... he had finally seen _her_ again.

"**I would like to ask the beautiful bride and my wonderful wife to join me up here as we are about to open the dance floor."** Roger said on the microphone as he looked expectantly around the room for Zoe's sight, interrupting Cal's thoughts with his words.

Cal sighed deeply and leaned back on his chair, rolling his eyes before they met Roger's face.

He knew he had promised Zoe not to read her husband-to-be but her now second husband had a weird look on his face… something wasn't right… he seemed to be scared and anxious.

Silence had filled the room once Roger had reached out for the microphone and had spoken as everyone seemed to be eager to see the newlyweds dancing together.

Suddenly the silence was broken… suddenly a scream took over it and made the people around the room jump slightly on their seats…

Yes, something was definitely not right.

"**Gillian…"**Cal whispered before standing up and literally running towards the bathroom.

As he ran he realized how much he cared for her. He was officially scared… no, he was terrified that she might have been the reason behind that scream if not the voice that had given it life… he couldn't lose her… he just couldn't because she was his life… his everything.

"_Oh God…"_ He thought for himself as the truth slapped him across the face.

He didn't think twice or knock before walking into the ladies' room.

"**Gillian?"** He yelled out as he started opening the doors from the many different cubicles there were.

"**Cal…"** She whispered, her voice too shaky as she walked out of one.

He noticed her paleness before the fresh blood that was covering her beautiful dress and her hands.

"**Cal, we need an ambulance... now."**

**--**

Thank you so much for reading.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

I know it is kind of short but hey, I promise I will post chapter 4 soon, okay? :)

Anyway, R&R if you feel like it.

**Much love,**

**Reesa.**


	4. Chapter 4

Be Aware. This new chapter is crap.

That said, YAY!

A new chapter is up! :)

I want to thank you all for the wonderful reviews! *hugs everyone*

I am going to let you all read now…

I still don't own LTM or any of its characters… Oh well. *sighs*

Btw, do you prefer the dialogues in **bold** or not?

--

Cal reached out for his phone and dialed the emergency number almost automatically, not taking his eyes from Gillian's figure as he did so as he was still trying to understand where all that blood was coming from.

"Luv, talk to me… what's wrong?" He asked as he approached her, using his free hand to caress her face in a soothing way.

Gillian kept shaking her head as she seemed to keep failing at finding the right words… actually, at finding any words at all.

She was in shock and even though she kept fighting against the trauma symptoms she had learnt how to deal with when she was back at college, she just didn't seem to be able to talk or even think coherently.

"This is _Dr._ Cal Lightman. I need an ambulance… fast."

He tried to read her face but all he could see was immense pain… but whether it was physical or psychological he couldn't say.

"Luv, I need you to take a deep breath and talk…" He said as he put his phone back in his pocket and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Please, luv. I need you to tell me what's wrong…" He whispered as he closed his eyes, trying to come up with another plan.

He was begging her and that was only making her feel worse…

"_Gillian, speak… Gillian, you can do this… Just speak."_ She told herself before swallowing hard and wiping away the tears that had started rolling down her cheeks a few moments ago.

The words seemed to be running away from her mouth though… all she could do was cry and tremble.

She felt useless and weak… and she was mad at herself.

Only a few seconds had went by since he had walked into that bathroom but for him it seemed like he had been standing there for days, if not even months.

Seeing her like that killed him… it reminded him of the day she had been told Sophie's biological parents had changed their mind and wanted _their_ little girl back.

That had been the first time he had seen her being broken and he had promised himself he wouldn't ever let anyone made her feel like that again… he had promised himself he would protect her for the rest of her life… even if that meant he would have to give up on his own so that she could live.

She felt selfish… he was hurting for her and he had no idea that she was actually the one who was hurting for him in the first place. She felt selfish as she felt like she was keeping something from him… even though it wasn't on purpose… even though she knew she was dealing with her own trauma symptoms.

"I am sorry." She finally blurted out, her voice still shaking and her eyes still filled with unshared tears.

"Hush, luv." He whispered as he opened his eyes, kissing her forehead before gently kissing her lips. "It's going to be okay… You are going to be just fine… they are coming…"

"Cal…" She took a step back and looked up at him, noticing the questioningly facial expression that had taken over his face as soon as she had pulled away from him.

For a moment he thought he had misread the signs that he had been seeing since they had met… for a moment he actually thought she was pulling away from him and saying no to the fact he had just kissed her... but that couldn't be it… could it?

"It's not me Cal." She felt her shoulders relax as the words finally found their way out of her mouth but not her heart… no, her heart kept aching… for him.

He felt like a bomb had just been dropped on his lap.

"What are you talking about?"

His brain started working at his full speed as soon as those words left his mouth and a solved puzzle started appearing in his mind but he couldn't see it clearly… he was afraid of seeing it clearly as it was the answer he had came up with to reply to his own question… and what scared him the most was that it actually made sense.

"No… It can't be…" He murmured under his breath, closing his eyes again as he tried to wake up from the nightmare he was living. "It can't be… Why are you telling me this?"

"I…" Somehow she couldn't find the right words or the right gestures or the right actions.

She had studied many ways of dealing with this sort of situation but they all involved personal distance… and that was something she couldn't keep from Cal as he was her friend… he was her best friend… he was something more than her best friend… he was her everything.

"It's not funny, Foster. It's not funny."

"Cal, listen to me…" Her voice was soft and careful as she knew she was officially walking towards a precipice that could appear without any visual warning.

"Stop it. STOP IT." He begged, shaking his head before taking a step forward and towards the cubicle from where Gillian had came out just a few seconds earlier.

He found himself staring at what seemed to be a lifeless body. He swallowed hard before taking one step further; just then he was able to see and recognize the familiar face that so many times had rested not even an inch away from his.

"Zoe…" He whispered, studying her carefully, looking for a signal of life to hold onto. He needed her to give him some sort of warning… some sort of sign to let him know she was going to be okay… he needed her to be okay.

"What did you do to her?" He demanded, his eyes meeting Gillian's for a second before going back to his _wife_'s pale face.

Gillian knew that she shouldn't allow his words or his expressions to affect her as he wasn't thinking clearly but still… it hurt her, it hurt her bad.

She stood still though… she stood still by _his_ side without saying a word.

He kneeled by Zoe's side and grabbed her hand, squeezing it softly.

"Luv, they are almost here… _please_, hold on."

"What is going on here?"

A third voice was heard inside the room, causing Gillian to jump slightly on her place.

"What happened?"

There was concern in his voice and in his eyes.

"I need you to be calm, Anthony."

There was comfort in her voice and shock in her eyes.

"Your sister…"

Cal was too alienated to even notice someone else's presence.

"She was _attacked_."

The chaos had taken over what had started as a peaceful ceremony.

The police had already been called as the crowd was starting to get a little hard to control. Everyone wanted to know what was going on inside the ladies' room but all the people that had walked inside had stayed so there weren't any news.

Rumors started to spread though as well as panic once Anthony abandoned the room with blood on his clothes.

Suicide? Homicide? Was there a serial killer in the guest list? Was it someone they knew? Was it the person standing by their side? Was it the person they were talking to?

Questions like that were crossing everyone's mind.

Many breaths were let out in relief though once the paramedics appeared followed by the police.

While Anthony guided the first ones to the room where it all had happened, the police stayed outside trying to answer some questions and to get some of their own questions answered.

"Please, take a step aside, Sir."

Cal obeyed almost instantly, giving the young doctor space to work.

After checking the woman's pulse and realizing how weak it was, the doctor called his colleagues over so that they could get Zoe ready to be taken to the hospital.

"She lost a lot of blood…" The doctor explained. "We are going to have to take her to the hospital to better analyze the wound…"

"She's my _wife_… I am not leaving her... I _can't_ leave her. " Cal's voice tone was cold and sturdy, making a chill go down Gillian's spine.

"Cal… what about…"

"I am coming with you." He added quickly and self-confidently, completely ignoring the fact that Gillian had actually said something.

The doctor nodded, turning around and giving his colleagues directions before opening the door for them to leave the bathroom.

Without looking back, he followed the paramedics out of the room, leaving a bloody Gillian and a confused Anthony behind.

"Emily…"

--

I am so sorry.

I know this is short and weird and crap but I hope I answered some of your questions.

I will try to update soon and surely add a bit more quality to the writing.

Yet again, am sorry. :(

R&R if you feel like it.

Reesa--


	5. Chapter 5

I am sorry it took me so long to update this story but I have been thinking about working a lot. *giggles* I know, thinking about working but not really working… well, it's almost as exhausting.

Anyway, thank you so much for the awesome reviews! :D

I still don't owe "Lie To Me" or any of its characters.

--

We make mistakes. We, as human beings, make a lot of mistakes.

We lie, we deceive, we betray, we cheat, we mislead… we break innocent hearts.

--

He walked into the ambulance and sat by the paramedic that had been asked to keep an eye on Zoe's stats and to give a sign if they changed for better or for worse.

She had already lost a great amount of blood at the crime scene and the bleeding didn't seem to want to clog anytime soon. That hadn't stopped the paramedics from trying though. They had their faith even though all the signs pointed to a close end… Truth was, they weren't even sure she was going to make it to the hospital.

He had been told by the doctor now sitting in front of him that everything was going to be just fine but he had also read his face and it didn't point in the same direction… there was pity written all over his face – or compassion, as he was sure Gillian would say.

_Gillian_.

After going through a traumatizing or a life-dead situation, we tend to lose control of some of the capabilities that allow us to react to reality at a normal speed. It takes longer to think outside the box, to find the right words, to answer a question, to realize what is going on, to remember some of the most important details of our lives…

For a moment we are like newborn children… we open our eyes and we see great things to which we still don't have a name to go with.

But when we wake up from what to some is a nightmare and to others a dream, the information stars crossing our brains at such a high pace that we suddenly get overwhelmed. We are no longer naïve or innocent towards the reality… we became aware and sensitive to it as ever and that's when we realize what we have done.

_Gillian_.

She had been scared… she had been scared to the point of not being able to speak for a few seconds. It happened quite often when people were in shock… he knew that, he had studied that…

He had seen the pain on her face while she fought against it and tried to tell him what was going on… he had seen that same pain reaching her magic blue eyes as he told her everything was going to be okay… he had seen that same pain getting worse as his lips found hers…

How selfish he had been to think she didn't want him. How stupid he had been to think that she was saying no to the unspoken question he had pressed against her perfect mouth when he kissed her.

_Gillian_.

He closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head slightly, still holding his wife's hand… his ex-wife's lifeless hand.

Call it tragedy. Call it bad timing. Call it hell. Call it nightmare.

Nonetheless, it had been real and there was nothing he could do to change it now.

He had no idea of what was going to happen to him… what was going to happen to them… and that scared him. And what scared him even more was the fact that he wasn't afraid of admitting it.

_Gillian_.

He needed her… he needed her again… he needed her more than ever.

She was by his side when he got married to Zoe; she was there when their constant fight season started; she was there when he received the news that he was going to be a father; she was there when he started spending all his money on casinos; she was there when the man from the post office brought him the divorce papers; she was there when he started to drink insanely…

She had been right by his side as he waited for the ambulance to come and take Zoe to the hospital earlier that day… he had yelled at her, he had accused her but she had stayed… she had stayed right by his side without saying a word.

The ambulance finally stopped right in front of the hospital but what brought him to reality was the hand of the paramedic sitting by his side. The young man looked slightly concerned with his state of absentmindedness.

"I am okay." He said out loud, trying to convince both the paramedic and himself of it.

He then left the vehicle and took a step back and away from its doors so that Zoe could be removed from inside it without any major difficulties.

He followed their lead as they walked into the building but soon was stopped by a nurse that asked him to wait over the waiting room.

The idea of arguing over it crossed his mind but then he remembered what he had done earlier that day with Gillian and decided it was not worth it.

He knew they were doing everything they could do to save Zoe.

All there was to do was wait now… and apologize.

Instead of yelling at the nurse, he just asked her where he could possibly find a payphone.

She led him to it and he actually thanked her before grabbing some coins from his pocket as he had left his cell phone somewhere.

Dialing the number he had learnt by heart due to the amount of times he had felt the need to use it, he waited patiently for her to pick up.

_Gillian_.

"Gillian…" Her name came out of his mouth as a plea.

Silence took over the line and Gillian was starting to wonder if the call had went down when she heard his deep sigh coming from the other side.

"I will be right there." She answered confidently, hanging up and searching her long black coat's pocket for her car keys.

Sometimes silence does speak louder than words.

"Anthony…"

The other man left the room where they had been for the past minutes with Emily. All it took for him to understand what was going on was to look at her beautiful face.

"Just go… I will take care of her."

She gave him a thankful smile before turning around and leaving.

Oh yes, sometimes silence definitely speaks louder than words.

--

I know it was short but it felt so right… characters might be a bit OOC but well, this was the best I could do at the moment.

Need to focus on "The Quest" now. :)

R&R if you feel like it.

Hugs,

Reesa.


	6. Chapter 6

I am not dead! How cool is that? I am sorry it took me so long to update this story but I have been working like a crazy woman. Magazine articles, blog posts, videos… but it all stopped today when my Internet decided not to work. I found myself sitting in front of the computer without knowing what to do so I watched a "Lie To Me" episode and inspiration hit me in the head so here it is… a brand new chapter! YAY!

I still don't own LTM but my birthday is coming up so… ;)

Hope you like it!

--

They say time heals everything… but how much time do we need to get over losing a loved one?

--

Gillian parked her car at the hospital's parking lot and took the keys from the ignition before unbuckling her seatbelt. Taking a look at the rear-view mirror, she sighed deeply once she saw her reflection. She took the time to read her face like she didn't own it… like it was the face of just another stranger that walks by you when you are shopping or that runs into you as you leave the elevator.

Exhaustion. Pain. Fear. Sadness.

She needed a break from all the drama that seemed to have taken over her life but she knew she couldn't leave him now… she knew he was never going to admit it but he needed someone by his side and she wasn't ready to leave him all alone either.

Her steps were confident as she made her way into the hospital and then towards the waiting room where the nurse she had talked to had told her she would find the owner of the voice that had pleaded her to come.

She looked around, searching for the face that so long ago had become familiar to her. She felt her heart starting to beat faster as her eyes kept moving across the room without identifying the shape of the person she was looking for.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding before turning around, finding herself staring directly into the eyes of her partner, of her best friend.

"Cal…" She breathed out before wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her body. She was expecting him to fight against her embrace but he simply melted, resting his forehead against her shoulder.

They held each other for what seemed to be hours in silence before Cal moved, kissing the exposed skin of her neck gently before pulling away so that he was looking straight at her.

"I am sorry…" He started, not breaking the eye contact that for the past months had been so hard to establish.

"Cal, you don't have…" She interrupted herself when she felt Cal's hand squeezing her own.

"I am sorry for the way I spoke to you." He started again, lacing their fingers together. "I am sorry for leaving you alone." He carried on, slowly letting the guard down. "I am so sorry." He finished, raising their hands to his lips and kissing hers softly.

Gillian smiled sadly at him, nodding softly once he stopped talking.

"It's okay." She said, knowing that he wasn't just apologizing for what had happened earlier that day but for what had happened since the day he had invited her to join his team.

He leaned over and pressed his lips against hers, letting them linger there until he heard someone calling out his name.

Gillian knew what the kiss meant but she also knew that Cal could take two steps ahead and ten steps back within a few seconds.

Once she heard the doctor calling his name, she was expecting him to let go of her and carry on towards him but he yet again surprised her.

Holding her hand with assurance, he walked towards Zoe's doctor with her by his side.

"I am afraid I don't bring any good news…" The doctor started, opening the chart he had been carrying under his arm.

He explained exactly what had happened to Zoe and how serious her wounds had been. He had also explained everything they had done in the OR and the reasons why what they did ended up not working out.

"She has a few minutes… a few hours… We really can't tell." He sighed deeply, closing the folder.

"Can we see her?" Cal finally asked, holding Gillian's hand like she was the last thing that connected him to the world of the living.

"Of course… she's conscious… she has actually been asking for someone called…" The doctor removed a paper from his pocket. "Gillian Foster."

Gillian raised an eyebrow.

"For me?" She asked out loud, trying to make sure she had heard it correctly.

"Oh, are you Gillian Foster?" The doctor asked expectantly.

Gillian nodded.

"Yes, I am."

"Would you mind coming with me, please? She surely doesn't need more stress at the moment and she keeps asking for you."

Gillian looked over at Cal and when she saw him nod she turned back to the doctor.

"Of course."

"Follow me."

Gillian let go of Cal's hand reluctantly.

"Call Emily. She's at Anthony's." She said before turning around and going after the doctor.

"Are you sure she asked for me?" Gillian asked him as they stood right in front of the door that led to the room where Zoe was.

"I am positive." He said reassuringly before opening the door for her to enter.

She sighed before making her way into the room and towards the bed where the other woman was lying.

Zoe looked extremely pale which was frightening even though Gillian should have expected it due to the amount of blood she had lost. Images from the way she had found her earlier that day made her tremble.

"Gillian…" The other woman whispered.

Gillian's hand quickly found Zoe's and she gently squeezed it.

"I am here Zoe." She said softly, studying the peaceful face of the woman who had always looked at her with her eyes filled with anger.

"I want…" Zoe swallowed hard and closed her eyes.

"Shhhhhh. Don't try to speak…" Watching the other woman struggling for words made Gillian's heart cringe.

"Take care of them for me."

--

Chapter 7 will be up some time next week.

Hope you enjoyed your reading.

R&R if you feel like it.

Hugs,

Reesa.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you so much for the kind reviews! :) They keep me writing.

I didn't expect this chapter to be like this but it seems that today I am a bit too emotional so there. It is kinda short but it's done.

Hope you like it.

Btw, still don't own Lie To Me.

--

Gillian had wished for Zoe to be more human many times before; she had felt like killing that woman with her own bare hands, for God's sake. However, those feelings had nothing to do with the way Zoe treated her but with the way she had treated both her husband and her daughter.

Gillian wouldn't ever forget what Cal had gone through after finding out about Zoe and Roger. Hurt had been written all over his face for ages and he wouldn't even make any effort to hide it. He would have given up on his own life if Gillian hadn't interfered and opened his eyes to the fact that he had a daughter that loved him, a best friend by his side and a company that needed him.

Memories from those dark times never abandoned Gillian's mind.

She couldn't remember what she had worn the day she received the call from her lawyer announcing that she was officially divorced but she could tell exactly what Cal was wearing on the day he got the divorce papers by mail; she could describe what he looked like, what he smelled like, what he sounded like… she knew every single detail from what she had seen of his life by heart and yet she didn't seem to recall what her own husband had told her on their honeymoon.

Gillian knew that it wasn't right to overlook her life and focus on Cal's but this was no longer a matter of right and wrong… this was a matter of heart and when it comes to heart, there are many things that you can't really explain… and that's just the way love is.

--

"_Take care of them for me."_

Zoe's words caused Gillian's eyes to fill with tears that she knew she wouldn't be able to hold for much longer.

"I will." She answered quietly, leaning over Zoe and kissing her forehead gently. She now recognized the person that her partner Cal Lightman had fallen in love with and somehow she couldn't help but love her as well.

"Em…" Zoe murmured, closing her eyes as she swallowed hard.

"_They_ will be here soon…" Gillian said, caressing the other woman's face gently.

"Tell them…" Zoe's face showed pain but she seemed to be quite peaceful. "I love them." She added in nothing more than a whisper. "Tell him…" She took a deep breath and let the air out slowly. "I am sorry…" She squeezed Gillian's hand tight. "So sorry."

"He forgives you. You know he forgave you a long time ago…" Gillian replied calmly, never taking her eyes of Zoe's face even though her tears were rolling freely down her cheeks.

"Gillian…"

"I forgive you, Zoe." She whispered tenderly. "I forgive you." She repeated confidently.

What she witnessed next made her start sobbing. A smile had taken over Zoe's lips… it was a true smile and it was directed to her.

"Shhhh." She heard Zoe. "It's okay…" The other woman added quietly.

"I am so very sorry…" Gillian finally said, closing her eyes. "I didn't mean… I didn't want…"

She knew Gillian was talking about Cal and their relationship. Zoe had witness him falling in love with Gillian on the very same day he brought her home for dinner, introducing her as his partner and co-founder of the Lightman Group.

"I forgive you… too." She said, reaching out for Gillian's face. "I… need you to be strong… for them."

Gillian sighed and nodded.

Suddenly one of the monitor's alarms went off. Gillian quickly pressed the button to call a nurse before trying to understand what was going on. She felt the hand she was holding going weak.

"Zoe? Zoe?" She called out. "Stay with me… Don't leave them yet…" She begged. "They need to say goodbye…"

The nurse walked into the room in a matter of seconds and soon was followed by the doctor.

Gillian took a step back and allowed them to work, watching the scene from near the door. On that moment she wished she was having just another nightmare. She was tired of watching her loved ones suffer and the image of Emily crying didn't leave her mind. Why were they so unlucky? Why did the world seem to be against them? What had they done wrong?

"Miss Foster?" She heard the soothing voice of the doctor. By the tone, she knew exactly what he was going to tell her. "I am afraid she's gone." He said, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"She's what?" The new voice in the room was low and exhaled exhaustion.

Gillian didn't need to turn around to know who had just joined her. She took a deep breath before turning around and looking at both father and daughter. She wiped away her tears, answering to the question that Cal's eyes kept asking her with a nod.

"Em…" She heard Cal say as he wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders.

"No… No…" The girl tried to get away from her father and closer to the bed with her mother's lifeless body now laid. "She didn't… She can't…" Tears started rolling down the younger's cheeks.

Gillian took a step back, allow the girl to find her way towards the hospital's bed.

"Cal…" She whispered, resting a hand upon his arm. "Let's give her a few minutes." She told him, resting her forehead against his cheek for a second. "C'mon." Cal nodded, grabbing her hands and taking her outside with him.

They had been outside for just a few seconds when Cal wrapped his arms around Gillian, hiding his face on the space between her shoulder and her neck, taking in her comforting scent.

She held him tight, slowly feeling his body melting against hers and then the tears. She knew he was over her but she also knew she had been the one to give him the best thing in the whole world… she had given him a daughter.

They sat in silence by the room's door, holding each other's hand while they waited for Emily.

Gillian watched their laced fingers, wondering whether they could be any more perfect together.

They stood awkwardly as they heard the door being opened. Emily's tears seemed to have ceased but as soon as she closed the door behind her, they returned with even more strength.

"She left me alone."

--

It might sound a bit OOC now that I re-read it.

R & R if you feel like it.

Chapter 8 will be up hopefully before the end of the week! :)

Hugs,

Reesa

xx


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you so much for your kind reviews! I don't know what I would do without them!

I know I said I would update The Quest first but today I felt like coming back to Congratulations as I think we might be getting close to the end. Exciting, huh?

Anyway, I seriously hope you like this chapter. I know there isn't much Emily here but you will find out very soon why I chose to do that.

Still don't own Lie To Me and am going insane with the fact that its owners seem to be enjoying the hiatus. What the hell are they thinking? I need LTM soon!

xx

--

There are those days when you wake up feeling like you shouldn't leave the warmth of your bed; there are those days when you wake up with a heavy pain in your chest and you can't quite understand why it is hurting so bad; there are those days when you wake up with a good feeling but that end up turning into awful nightmares; and then there is the kind of day Gillian was having… the kind of day when you wake up with a bad feeling and the reality turns out to be worse than you ever thought possible.

--

Gillian was now sitting on the couch, her feet tucked underneath her and a mug of warm tea between her hands.

Cal had asked her if they could stay at her place as his house seemed to be filled with memories that both Emily and him weren't ready to confront just yet.

They had left the hospital a few hours ago and since they had gotten there, Gillian had never left that very same spot as she wanted to give both father and daughter some privacy.

The silence had taken over the apartment and she couldn't help but sigh loudly as the words Zoe had told her were still playing in her mind like a broken record.

She reached for the TV remote and pressed the button to turn it on, setting the volume at a normal place before putting the remote back on the coffee table. She didn't really care about what seemed to be going on around the world or around one of the TV shows that she usually watched on her own late at night… she just wanted some company and the indistinguishable voices that were now filling the room seemed to be just what she needed.

She took a sip of her tea before closing her eyes, leaning back against the couch. All her muscles were tense and there was anxiety running through her veins like her body and mind were still waiting for something worse to happen. She couldn't believe it… she was traumatized and somehow she couldn't help herself even though she had been helping people with traumas for years now.

She had never told anyone but the truth was that she had chosen to get a psychology degree because she wanted to be able to guide herself through the self-discovery journey that is life. Many people had warned her about the difficulty that human beings have at being partial when the problems in question are somehow related to themselves but she thought she could do it… she thought she could be better than everyone at something but she had, yet again, been wrong about it.

Oh yes, she was one of the best in her area but somehow being the best at something hadn't fulfilled her as much as she thought it would when she walked for the first time into the college campus.

She had tried for many times to convince herself that it would be enough… when she broke up with her first boyfriend, when she left her parents' house to go and study abroad, when she lost Sophie, when she divorced Alec, when Cal told her he had slept with Zoe again, when she realized that Cal had slept with Poppy, when Cal had gotten married to Zoe… all those times she had to take a few moments to herself and look at her own reflection in the mirror while she repeated – " it is enough".

But it just wasn't.

She couldn't lie to herself anymore… she just couldn't ignore the fact that she had had it all and she had been happy… a long time ago.

Now everything was going to yet again change… and she wasn't sure whether she was going to be able to confront that new version of reality without breaking apart or without running away.

--

Statues stand strong through many storms but each time they lose a piece of themselves and there will come a time when they will lose the main piece and break into little pieces that will fly away with the wind.

--

"Gillian?"

She opened her eyes to the sound of the familiar voice, finding herself staring at an exhausted version of Cal.

"I am sorry if I woke you, luv." He said softly, sitting down by her side as he let out a tired breath.

"I wasn't sleeping…" She sat straight, letting her bare feet touch the ground as she put her mug down by the remote control. "How is Emily?" She asked, watching his face carefully not to miss any detail or any possible clue.

"I don't really know… she doesn't want to talk or even look at me…" His voice sounded somewhat desperate. "I don't know what I am going to do, Gillian…"

"Cal, she just lost her mother… she needs time… give her space." Gillian's hand found its way to Cal's arm, rubbing it gently.

"She believes it is my fault…" Cal mumbled, closing his eyes as he tried to avoid the tears that kept trying to leave their sanctuary.

Suddenly it all became very clear in Gillian's mind. Cal was officially blaming himself for killing not only his mother but also his daughter's mother.

"Oh no… Cal, don't go there…" She said, resting her hands on both sides of his face. "Cal, look me at…Look at me now!" She demanded, sighing softly once he finally opened his eyes and stared back into hers. "It's not your fault, do you hear me? You did nothing wrong… there was no way you could guess that this was going to happen… You are not a god, you are just human! Do you understand what I am saying?"

He nodded, reaching out to touch Gillian's face.

"I don't know what I would do without you." He confessed, letting his fingertips travel through the lines of her beautiful lips.

Gillian felt her body relax under his touch as he pulled her closer to him, resting his forehead against hers.

"Let's not find out, shall we?" She said with a small smile.

"Thank you… for everything." He whispered as he brushed his lips against hers before kissing her.

Gillian's hands went down from resting on his face to rest on his chest as she allowed herself to go with the flow for the first time that day.

They were getting lost in each other… kissing, touching, breathing each other…

Gillian's phone started vibrating over the coffee table a few moments later, making them both aware of the existence of a world besides themselves.

"Don't…" Cal said as she pulled away from him.

"It's just one minute… it might be the office." She said, reaching out for it and pressing the green button to accept the call.

"Foster." She answered the call with a soft voice tone as she was still a bit breathless from the kissing and because she could feel Cal's lips on the back of her neck.

"Dr. Foster? It's Heidi… I tried calling Dr. Lightman but he isn't picking up his phone…"

"What's going on?"

"We just got a call from the president… they need him… in Iraq."

Gillian's eyes grew wider but she quickly covered her shock as she didn't want Cal to notice it.

"Give me one second, alright?" She told Heidi before turning around to meet Cal's face, kissing his lips gently.

"I need to take this… I will be right back." Gillian stood up from the couch and gave Cal an apologizing look before making her way towards the kitchen.

"What exactly do they need?"

Gillian leaned back against the balcony and closed her eyes, sighing deeply.

"They aren't telling me much. It's a matter of secrecy I believe."

"Okay, tell them Dr. Lightman isn't available but that I will be there as soon as I can …"

Heidi couldn't hide the surprise in her voice.

"You want me to tell them you are free to go to Iraq and help them solve the case?"

"Yes, that's what I am saying. And please, do not tell Cal anything about this. As far as he's concerned, my mother needs me. Okay?"

"Of course, Dr. Foster. I will book your plane ticket for tomorrow… Is 6 am good for you?" Heidi asked, consulting the computer screen that was right in front of her.

"It's perfect." She said before hanging up.

"What's perfect?" She heard Cal asking from a certain distance.

"It was an ironic perfect…" She answered, re-opening her eyes. "We seem to have a case but Loker and Ria can take over, don't worry."

Cal raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure that's all?"

"Yes, I am sure. They can certainly handle it." She said carefully. "Now let's go sleep… it was an one hell of a day."

--

This chapter is slightly longer compared to the last ones – YAY! Or NAY! I am still thinking about it.

Anyway, R&R if you feel like it. :)

I am going to work on The Quest now!

Hugs,

Reesa

xx


	9. Chapter 9

Woot, yes, I am back!

Thanks for the awesome reviews.

You guys rock 3

I still don't own Lie To Me.

… … … …

"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"

- Vincent van Gogh

… … … …

Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down.

Gillian's hand rested gently over Cal's chest while he slept peacefully in her bed. She had imagined herself waking up by his side many times before and now that her dream had became reality she was actually scared. Finally having the opportunity of spending some time studying his face while he was still open to the world, while he wasn't yet in control of the china wall behind which he usually hided his emotions and true feelings, she found herself being shaken by the picture that stood now in front of her, her heart aching at the rawness of it. His vulnerability painted in a thousand shadows over his face made him look so human, so reachable.

Yes, she had imagined herself waking up by his side many times before and had lost plenty of time wondering about the different reactions he would possibly have if he woke up to find her staring at him. The idea of her not being there to watch and analyze those reactions had never really crossed her mind though because she had never imagined that Cal would be spending in her bed after losing his ex-wife either.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before silently abandoning the comfortableness of her bed, _their_ bed. The hand that had been resting over his chest for the past couple of minutes was still warm from the contact and she could still feel him breathe under it, could still feel his heart beating calmly under the soft palm of her hand.

She slowly opened the closet and took the emergency bag she kept ready inside it in case something happened and she would have to travel far or leave home for a while. She had certainly never imagined it would take her to Iraq on a mission but there had been plenty of things she had never imagined and somehow it seemed that those were all coming true at about the same time.

She swallowed hard as images she had kept saved in her memory due to their high level of cruelness towards humanity started playing in her mind like an horror movie. She knew one day they would all be confronted face-to-face with the brutal images from Iraq that had long ago taken over all television stations across America but she had never thought she would have to face them on her own.

If she was scared? Oh yes, she was but there was no choice. She knew Cal had much more experience than her in war scenes but she couldn't allow him to leave Emily less than 24 hours after the death of her mother. Knowing him as well as she did, she was sure he would actually take the mission without thinking twice because the situation at the moment represented another one of his nightmares coming true. He had just lost his ex-wife and his daughter blamed it on him just like his father had blamed on him the fact that his mother had killed herself.

No, she couldn't do this to him. She couldn't give him the key to the escape room because she was sure he would walk into it and lock himself inside. Even though that seemed to be his way of coping with hard situations and had proved itself to be efficient in the past, this time things were very different as Emily was also involved. The young teenager felt abandoned by her mother and she wouldn't be able to cope if she found herself being truly abandoned by her father too. She would start questioning her life soon and she would need a familiar face and a familiar pair of extra arms and Cal was all she had left.

Putting the bag on the floor and opening it, she bent down over it and checked if she had everything she needed. After less than a second she was closing it again and was going into the bathroom. She sighed at the sight of her reflection upon the mirror. She looked exhausted and broken and lost.

She ran a hand down her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail before letting the warm water from the tap caress the muscles of her face. She changed into one of her black working outfits before walking back into the bedroom. The clock told her that it were exactly 3:30 in the morning which meant she should be getting ready to leave the house very soon. She chose a pair of shoes, grabbed her purse and her bag and took a last look at the a sleeping Cal that remained lying in bed like nothing had or was happening. She would take that image with her as well as the warmness of the feeling of having his body close to hers and his lips on hers.

She closed the door softly and walked towards the stairs but there she stopped for a moment before turning back and going to Emily's bedroom. She left her things at the door and walked inside, sitting quietly on the bed by the teenager's side and watching her for a minute with a smile on her face. "I love you." She said gently, placing a soft kiss upon the girl's forehead before standing up.

Downstairs, she took a last look at her house that had gone from naked and cold to warm and cozy. Her place was now exhaling emotions and feelings of love and regret, sadness and pain. Her place now belonged to a family. And she would come back to that family, they were _her _family too.

Getting into her car, she drove towards the airport, memories from the past hours painting dark pictures in her head.

"Dr. Gillian Foster?" She heard someone. "Would you mind following me, please?" She nodded once she saw the FBI badge. "We were surprised to hear that you were coming instead of your partner." The man said, offering her a chair in the room where he had taken her.

"I am afraid Dr. Cal Lightman couldn't be here due to a family emergency that asked for his full attention." She answered, taking a look at the papers that the FBI agent was giving her.

"Well, if he thought you were ready to take over something like this, we trust his judgment." The agent said, giving her one last envelope. "You will find everything you need there." He added. "We are sending a female agent with you that will be your shadow and that will be able to help you with everything you need." He showed her a photo of the woman. "Any questions?"

"Can I go now?"

"Certainly. By the way, I am afraid we weren't able to give your office this information for reasons of safety but we changed your flight. You are leaving about... now."

The agent helped her with her bags and took her to the plane, making sure that the mission all started on schedule.

The sound from the seat-belt sign went on, taking over the silence that filled the almost empty plane.

… … … …

A plane departures.

Cal's eyes open.

A plane gains height and speed.

Cal notices the missing Gillian.

A plane crashes.

Cal jumps out of bed.

"Gillian?"

… … … …

Now that took me long enough, didn't it?

I seriously hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Will be updating more often now.

R&R if you feel like it. =]

See you VERY soon,

Reesa.


	10. Chapter 10

While my own laptop's disk is being wiped away so that I can reinstall the original Windows XP and get my computer ready for another college year, I sit here writing another chapter of Congratulations.

Thank you so much for the very kind reviews. I am glad to hear that you are actually excited to learn about what is going to happen next.

On that note, I will be updating The Quest soon and will start a new story very soon too.

Lie To Me isn't mine and I have this weird feeling that it never will be.

Without further ado I give you… Chapter 10.

… … … …

Heidi was usually the first one to get to the Lightman's Group office unless one of her bosses actually decided to spend the night there. Due to the latest events, she was sure she would be the one to open the doors today.

With her agenda trapped between her arm and her torso, with her cell phone on her ear and her purse threatening to fall to the floor, she was still somehow able to successfully open the door without letting any of those things find its way to the ground.

Happy to find herself _home_, she carefully rested her agenda over her desk and sat down on her comfortable chair. She crossed one leg over the other one and ran her free well manicured hand through her hair while she carried on with the conversation on the phone.

She was slightly tired of it actually but she had promised to stay in contact with her mother once she moved away from home and the older woman had soon realized that her descendant wouldn't be able remember it due to the amount of work she had to do and so she decided she would be the one to remind her of it every single morning for the rest of her life.

Knowing that she still had plenty of time before the official hour of opening, Heidi got up from her chair and walked towards the small eating room they had there. After checking that there was enough water and coffee on the coffee machine, she turned it on and waited for it to be done.

She looked for a mug while she listened to her mother complaining about the supermarket bills and poured down the freshly made coffee while her mother told her the news about what was going on around the country as the older woman spent her mornings watching the news on television.

"Oh, I still can't believe they did it… Look at their faces! They are innocent!" Yelled the woman from the other side of the line, causing Heidi to smile and shake her head gently.

"Mother, whoever convicted them probably knows what he or she is doing."

"It's a she! Of course it's a she! Poor guys! She's a jealous of their…" Heidi took a deep breath, knowing that her mother was going to start rambling about the I-am-a-woman-but-am-as-strong-and-as-capable-as-any-man complex but what she heard next wasn't anything close to that, it was more like an intelligible expression of surprise and horror.

"Mother, are you feeling okay?" Heidi could no longer hide the concern in her voice.

"Oh, dear, dear…" She heard her mother say, her voice sounding like she was singing a mantra."

"What is going on? You are scaring me." Heidi complained, holding the mug of warm coffee on her free hand.

"Do you have a television near you, dear?" Heidi grabbed the remote and turned on the television that they had over there to watch the news while they had lunch or took a coffee break.

The coffee mug fell to the floor and it broke down into a million of tiny pieces, the liquid jumping into a thousand different directions, part of it tainting her grey skirt.

"What was that? Are you okay, honey? Heidi, are you there? Talk to me!"

"Mother, I must hang up. Something came up…" Heidi said as she left the room running, making her way to her desk and turning her computer on.

"But are you okay, darling? Should I worry? I knew it, I knew that job over there was going to kill me."

"I think I knew someone who was on that plane, mother." Heidi finally confessed at the same time as she opened the billing records from the last company expenses.

"You think? Were you close to that person? I am so sorry darling! Do you want me to go there? I can pack my things right this second!"

"My boss was there. I need to go now. Goodbye mother!" She threw her cell phone away and grabbed the company phone, quickly dialing the number from Gillian's place, praying that her other boss had found out about Gillian going on her own to Iraq and had stopped her.

"Dr. Foster?" She asked as soon as she heard the little noise that meant someone had accepted the call.

"No, it's Cal. Who wants to talk to her?" Cal had been looking for Gillian for quite a few minutes but soon decided there was no need to worry as she would probably be working at the office or shopping for groceries as inside that house there didn't seem to be anything but chocolate pudding. That thought made him smile but soon that expression was replaced by apprehension.

"Oh, Dr. Lightman! It's Heidi." The young woman sat back down and leaned back on her chair. How on earth was she going to explain to Cal that she had sent Gillian to Iraq in secret? She suddenly reminded herself that she hadn't asked if the other woman was around yet. "Is Dr. Foster at home? There is something important I need to talk to her about…"

"No, I don't think so. I am almost sure she went shopping. I actually thought she had gone to the office but I guess she didn't…" The silence that came from the other side of the line spoke to him and what he heard scared him a bit. "Heidi… do you know where she is?"

"Well, you see…" Heidi covered her face with her free hand and sighed deeply.

"Heidi… what is going on? What aren't you telling me?" He said, her voice sounding serious.

"Did you see the news this morning?" She finally found the courage to ask.

"I don't care about the news, Heidi! I want to know where Gillian is and I want to know it now!"

"A plane crashed… a plane that was supposed to land in Iraq crashed." She said, ignoring the fact that her boss was now yelling at him. "I booked Dr. Foster a ticket for that plane."

Cal's throat suddenly felt dry and he felt his head spinning at such a high speed that he had to sit down.

"What was Gillian doing in a plane to Iraq?" He asked after a couple of seconds of silence, trying to remain calm even though his heart was already killing him.

"I called her yesterday… they asked for you specifically but she said she would go instead and you know Dr. Foster… I just couldn't say no. I didn't know this was going to happen… I am sorry… I didn't know… I..." A tea rolled down her cheek.

"Heidi, Heidi… focus. It wasn't your fault." Cal tried to calm her down. "I need you to make a few calls… Can you do that for me or should I ask Loker and Ria to go there?"

"No, no… I can do it. Shall I call to know if there are any survivors?" She asked, suddenly regaining her focus.

"Yes, check the number of survivors… I will make a few calls myself. Keep me posted, okay?" Cal asked, hanging up without really giving her time to answer.

"Yes, I will." She mumbled under her breath as she put the phone down just to bring it to her again and make another call, this time to the same number she had dialed on the day before to book a plane ticket.

On the other side of the line Cal was still sitting down on the exact same place. He couldn't believe she had decided to go and had left without saying a word. Well, she would surely not have gone if she had told him because there was no way in hell he would allow her to go to such a place without him. Deep down inside he knew that she had been trying to protect him but he couldn't help it… he was officially pissed off at her.

But that feeling only lasted for about 2 seconds because suddenly he realized something very important… he hadn't had the time to tell her how much he loved her. _Oh, what have I done?_ He had blamed her for Zoe's death and then he had kissed her for the first time and had shared a bed with her. All of that in less than 24 hours.

"Dad?"

That simple word brought him to the reality and made him turn in the direction from which the sound came. He found himself staring at his daughter. She looked younger and vulnerable and exhausted. Her eyes were red from crying and her hair was a mess. She looked like she could use a best friend to talk to at the moment.

"Gillian…" He whispered before turning back to the phone and started dialing a number. "Not now, Em. Am busy."

"Dad…" Her voice sounded broken and needy. "Where is Gillian?"

He was about to reply to her when he heard a voice coming from the other side of the line.

"Hello, this is Cal Lightman. I need to know if Gillian Foster was on the plane." He said quietly. "Yes, on the plane that crashed."

… … … …

Oh, I am actually very excited about this story because I know where it is going but I still ain't sure of what's going to happen between now and then. LOL.

I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

R&R if you feel like it, okay?

See you very soon and around The Quest too,

Reesa.


	11. Chapter 11

There's not much to say here…

I don't own Lie To Me & I seriously hope you enjoy this chapter & THANK YOU so much for your REVIEWS.

Mmmmh, I think that covers it.

Here it is… the one and only… chapter 11 of Congratulations.

… … … …

Nothing prepares us to face war scenery.

_Nothing_.

Not the live images from the TV stations, not the photos taken of the victims or the bodies that lie on the street, not the printed articles that tell how an attack happened from the beginning till the very end, not the biographies from people who have fought in the field…

Nothing prepares us for the moment in which we land in a country under constant fire.

Nothing prepares us for the smell of death that seems to cling to our skin. Nothing prepares us for the silence of fear that invades our minds. Nothing prepares us for the tears of pain that roll down the cheeks of the ones we walk by. Nothing prepares us for the scars of the ones who keep trying to live their lives in the middle of a war which they didn't ask for.

Saying that Gillian Foster wasn't prepared to face war scenery is an understatement.

She hadn't been told anything about the case before accepting it as they had informed Heidi that it was a matter of great secrecy and that they couldn't take any chances when it came to it. Even when she said yes, they refused to give her any information before she actually left to Iraq.

She had wondered what that meant but she couldn't take any chances either; she couldn't just allow Cal to leave to Iraq right after Zoe's death. No, she couldn't put what was left of Emily's family at stake. She couldn't and she wouldn't. And so she had said yes without giving it a second thought.

Once at the airport she was told that a special agent would be waiting for her as soon as she left the plane. She had also been told not to talk to anyone besides that person and then been shown a photo just in case someone actually tried to use the agent's identity without her knowledge.

She hadn't said much in return. She had basically nodded at everything she heard and had taken a few mental notes as they didn't even allow her to write anything down.

She was scared. No, scared wasn't really the word to define her state of mind. She was terrified. But still she kept her blank face expression on and prayed that it would stick like the kind of make-up that advertises lasting for more than 12 hours.

She couldn't and she wouldn't break down. She was _fighting_ her own war against herself and she was going to win. She had to.

She tried to remain calm as she abandoned the plane and went to get her luggage. She was very glad that it hadn't gotten lost somewhere in-between the whole process because the few things that she had brought with her were the only connection she had with her reality at the moment and she needed not to feel alone.

The only word she could find to describe the present state of the airport where she had just landed was: mess. _Complete_ mess, to be more exact. She didn't really understand what was going on but it seemed like something very bad had happened.

"In my defense, I can assure you I was planning on a much more reassuring "welcome to Iraq" kind of thing. I guess it won't help now, will it?" She heard someone say from behind her.

Gillian turned around slowly and felt her shoulders relax almost immediately as she recognized the woman's face, causing the latter to smile.

"I have been known to have a terrible sense of timing." Said Gillian, smiling back at the woman that was now standing right in front of her.

"I'm Helena. It's a pleasure to meet you, Gillian." Said the woman, confidently shaking Gillian's hand.

"It's certainly a pleasure and a relief to meet you too." Responded Gillian before taking a look around and raising an eyebrow enquiringly. "I seem to have landed in the middle of a national crisis…"

"Oh, yes… Like you said, terrible timing." Helena said with a soft voice tone, grabbing one of Gillian's bags before starting to walk towards the main doors. "It's not really a national crisis but it's without doubt a sad event."

Gillian followed Helena closely, killing all the chances of her possibly getting lost in the middle of the mess. "What exactly happened?"

"I believe a plane crashed." Helena said, checking both sides of the street before crossing it, making sure Gillian was close behind her. "Mmmh, I actually think it was the plane that left to Iraq right after yours." She added as she stopped right in front of her car.

Gillian froze for a second as her brain worked out the information she had just gotten from Helena.

If the plane that crashed had been the one that left after the one she was on, the plane that had crashed was the plane on which she was supposed to come. If that plane had crashed, Heidi would be panicking by now and she would probably by already talking to…

"Is something wrong?" Helena asked as she reached out for the bag that Gillian had been holding.

"Do you know if there were any survivors?" Gillian asked, her voice coming out as a whisper.

"No, I don't think there were. It was a pretty ugly accident." Helena replied, raising an eyebrow as she noticed that the other woman was beginning to look way too pale. "Are you alright? You look dangerously pale Gillian." She said, her voice sounding rather alarmed.

"Oh yes, I am fine…" Gillian said, running a hand through her hair before letting her eyes finally meet Helena's concerned ones. "I do believe my partner thinks I died though."

… … … …

I know this was a very short chapter but get ready… action is coming.

Feel free to leave a review. :D I love those, you know? And it's almost Christmas and everything… *winks*

I will hopefully be posting another chapter very soon so…

See you,

Tess.


	12. Chapter 12

I am sorry it took me so long to update this story but I needed the perfect atmosphere to write this chapter.

I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed. It is a pleasure to write for you.

Anyway, here it is… hope you enjoy it.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Lie To Me.

… … …

It's hard to let go.

It's hard to say goodbye when you haven't even had time to say a proper hello.

It's hard to hear that it's over when you feel like it barely started.

But this is life. And life isn't easy.

Not for you. Not for anyone else.

And the only thing you can do is fight, fight like you never fought before.

This is it.

This is the moment when you have to prove to yourself that you can do it. You can survive. You aren't going to give up because this battle is worth of fighting for.

This fight… is worth it.

… … …

Cal Lightman was still sitting on his couch with his phone in his hand and his finger placed over the button which he had to press to accept calls.

For the second time this week he found himself in that position… waiting, waiting to receive news, waiting to receive good news.

The phone didn't seem to want to ring though and that was driving him insane.

"_Cal, go home. If something bad had happened you would know it by now. Bad news travel at the speed of light, remember?"_

He could picture her standing right in front of him, her hands resting on her hips as she gave him _the_ speech, the _Gillian _speech, the _don't-make-me-pout _speech.

He loved how she always tried to play bossy to get him to go home and rest. She didn't know that lately he had been staying in the office at night so that he could have that moment with her, so that he could share those few seconds with her, those few seconds when all she thought about was him and his well being.

He knew it was selfish of him to steal those moments from her life but he _needed_ them, he needed _badly_, he needed them more than he'd like to admit.

He couldn't help but smile at the thought.

The smile quickly faded away though as he realized that there was a possibility of him never seeing her again, of never being able to let his lips linger against her cheek for longer than necessary, of never being able to caress her soft skin, to hold her in his arms again… to tell her that he loved her.

He tightened his grip around the phone and closed his eyes as he allowed his body to rest against the soft couch before taking a deep breath.

As he inhaled the air that seemed to be suffocating his lungs, he recognized her scent.

They had been sitting there the night before…

They had been sitting there less than 24 hours ago… and he had kissed her.

He had kissed her for the very first time less than 24 hours ago and now she was gone.

How could this be happening to them again?

What had he done to deserve such a cruel fate?

First, it was his mother.

He had analyzed her every move but still he hadn't seen it coming.

When he was first told that she had committed suicide and that she had written letters for the whole family, his heart had stopped beating. She had planned the whole thing till the very last detail and he hadn't seen it, he hadn't noticed that his own mother was preparing her departure.

Till this very moment, he still felt like he was the one to blame for his mother's death.

Then, it was his ex-wife, Zoe.

He had laughed when his daughter asked him to keep an eye on Zoe but the look on Emily's face as she requested such a thing from him had told him that there was something wrong and so he had tried to stay close and yet keep his distance.

But they had argued yet again and so he took a step back, just like Zoe had asked him to.

He shouldn't have done it, he should have ignored her as per usual and stay close.

But he didn't. And she died.

And he had a feeling that he would blame himself for her death till the end of his own life.

Now… now there was Gillian, _his_ Gillian.

He knew that she had only said yes to the mission in Iraq to protect him and his _family_. What she hadn't been aware of though – because she hadn't really given him enough time to tell her – was that she was part of his family and he could no longer live without her.

All that emotional baggage he had been carrying on his back since he was a young man, she had made it feel as light as a feather by asking him to share it with her.

He had found it hard to open up at first but she didn't give up… she kept pushing and pushing till he exploded… and he yelled, he called her things that made him feel ashamed and dirty… he told her things that would have made anyone else run away… but she hadn't even moved a finger… she had just showed him that smile of hers… that smile that told him _I-might-not-know-what-you-went-throug-but-I-am-here-for-you-no-matter-what._

And he had fallen in love with her.

… … …

_I miss you._

This was not supposed to happen.

This can't be happening.

Not to us. Not again. Not after this week.

Not after this lifetime.

Please, tell me I didn't lose her.

Please, give me a sign.

This can't be it.

This can't be the end.

… … …

A single tear abandoned the corner of his eye and ran freely down his cheek.

Outside, the rain started pouring down.

Yes, even the sky could feel his pain at such a distance and was grieving with him.

Upstairs, Emily read the news on the Internet and tried to understand what was going on.

And then a lightening broke the sky.

The power went down.

Emily's body gave in to exhaustion as she rested her head over her pillow.

And the phone rang.

… … …

I hope you liked it.

I promise to update very soon. :)

Read & Review if you feel like it.

See you soon,

Tess.


	13. Chapter 13

I want to thank all the faithful followers of this story (and possible new ones). I love you all and your reviews are really what keeps me writing.

I am sorry it took me so long to update but life has been busy lately.

Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Lie To Me.

… … … …

There are moments in life when time seems to freeze and for a second or two you are able to leave your body and study your surroundings like an outsider. You acknowledge the smallest details like they are the main characters of the movie you are watching.

But then the clock ticks again and the silence in your head is corrupted by the loud cry of reality that wants to take you in at all costs.

But you fight it.

You hold onto those little things that your eyes have just found like they are the only thing you have in life…

That is, until the voice of reality morphs itself into the voice of your needs.

Then…

You simply pick up.

… … … …

"Cal?"

His heart recognized the familiar voice tone even before his brain had time to process it.

He couldn't really explain why, but there was something special about the way she pronounced his name, about the way his name left her beautiful and perfect mouth.

No, he wasn't talking about anything as insignificant as a kind of accent… he was referring to something deeper… it was like he could taste the longing on her soft lips as they mouthed _Cal_… almost like a plea…

But he had never taken the time to explore the reason behind that fact. At first, he had looked for a logical reason to justify it but then he started paying attention to them and how they danced during their social encounters and he realized that maybe they were both missing something… or maybe they were just trying to ignore that same something.

Whether the correct option was A or B or even a possible C, he really didn't know. What he did know though was that now was the perfect time to act on it.

"Gillian… Gill…"

He was speechless.

He tried to form coherent thoughts in his head but the only thing he could think of was that he hadn't lost her yet, was that she was alive.

"_Cal._"

This time her voice sounded more urgent and that caused his heart to skip a beat and his eyes to blink away the tears that had been clouding up his vision and making him feel like he was living in some sort of alternate reality.

Something was not right and he could feel it.

He could feel the fear running through his veins at the exact same pace as his blood, if not faster. It was like fear had placed a bet against his blood to see which would reach his heart first.

He couldn't afford to lose though.

And so he spoke the first words that crossed his mind.

"Are you hurt?"

Hearing his own voice made him come out of the weird state of comatose he seemed to have fallen into as soon as he had heard the plane company say that there were no survivors.

And he then realized that the words he had just pronounced hadn't come out like he had meant them to.

He felt like a coward.

Not even after what he had just gone through, not even after pondering the possibility of having lost her forever, not even then had he learned how to say _I love you_ out loud.

"Cal, I am fine. Things are… _okay_."

He wished he didn't know her as well as he did.

He wished that, just for this exact moment, he wasn't able to tell whether she was telling the truth or lying.

He wished he hadn't heard the uncertainty in her voice when she said that _okay _that went down his back in the form of a cold shiver, the kind of cold shiver that makes your whole body tremble, the kind of cold shiver that people say that means that death walked by you.

"Cal? Cal, are you okay?"

He shook his head dramatically as he slapped himself mentally for not being able to deal with this situation. She was in the middle of a war scene and she was the one asking _him_ if he was okay. For God's sake, she was alone in Iraq in a _bloody_ secret mission and she was asking _him_ if he was okay!

What had happened to the world?

He swallowed hard and stood up from his couch, starting to pace around the living room.

"I am fine. Are _you _okay?"

The other side of the line went silent for a second and he stopped moving, the thought that he had just lost her playing yet again in his mind like a bad frame you have been trying to cut for hours but that keeps crashing the system every single time you press delete.

"Gill? Are you there?"

He leaned against the wall by the window and closed his eyes for a moment as the sound of her breath filled the line.

He could imagine the rise and fall of her chest and could feel it under his palm as he had only a few hours earlier. He wished he could be tracing soothing circles over the skin of her breast to help her relax as he had only a few hours earlier.

"Cal, I…"

He opened his eyes and watched the rain falling outside.

Suddenly he felt fascinated by how everything in nature seemed to be in some sort of synchrony.

How the trees seemed to dance at the rhythm of the wind, how the drops of water seemed to make drawings on the floor, how the sunrays painted those very same drawings with the colors of the rainbow…

"Cal, I must go now… I promise… I am _okay_."

He listened to her words like a symphony and for the very first time he realized how _broken_ it seemed to be, how _lonely _it seemed to be…

And so he said it.

"I love you."

And even though the sound of her voice and her breath was replaced by the cold beep of the phone in a matter of seconds, he felt like he had reestablished the synchrony.

And now everything made sense.

… … … …

I hope you want to know what that everything is.

I am still trying to decide whether I want to make this a long story or cut it short. I have material to carry on for quite a few chapters but I started this back in 2009 and I feel like I need to end it… like I own it to myself to finish it before the end of the year.

I will think about it.

Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter.

I apologize if it sounded a bit OOC but this is how I imagined it would go.

Feel free to R & R.

Love,

Tess.


End file.
